Driver's apron

Abstract

An apron that may be worn by the driver of a vehicle protects his clothing from spilled food or beverage, or falling cigarette or cigar ashes, while he is eating and/or smoking as he is driving. The apron can be put on and taken off with one hand making a single connection. It comprises a torso panel and a lap panel, the former removably connected to a neck strap. The lap panel covers the thighs and knees. The sides of the lap panel are stiffened by weights maintaining the lap panel flat on the thighs and preventing it from creeping up over the knees despite the movement of the driver's legs as he operates the pedals of the vehicle. The apron is made of water-repellent, moisture-breathing, fire retardant fabric.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A driver's apron for protecting a driver's clothing and vehicle seat from soil and burns comprising: (a) a torso panel of generally rectangular shape, having short sides for neck and waist lines;   (b) a lap panel of generally rectangular shape having a width greater than its length, said width being along its long edges and the length being along its lateral edges, and the waist line of the torso panel being connected to a mid-section of a long edge of the lap panel;   (c) two lateral edges of the lap panel being provided with casings for insertion therein of weights; wherein one end of each casing is closed and an opposing end of each casing has a means for closing it;   (d) fastening pads attached to ends of the neck line; and   (e) a neck strap having one fixed fastening pad at one end and one adjustable fastening pad on the opposing end of the strap for fastening to the fastening pads attached to the neck line of the torso panel.   
     
     
       2. The apron of claim 1 wherein the weights are selected from the group consisting of metal pipes, rods, and pellets. 
     
     
       3. The apron of claim 1 wherein the fastening pads are hook and loop fasteners. 
     
     
       4. The apron of claim 1 is made of a breathable, water-repellent, and fire-retardant fabric. 
     
     
       5. The apron of claim 1 wherein the adjustable fastening pad is a belt buckle covered with the fastening pad and is capable of being slid along the strap. 
     
     
       6. The apron of claim 4 wherein the fire retardant fabric is terry cloth, impregnated with fire retardant chemicals, over a breathable, water-repellent fabric. 
     
     
       7. The apron of claim 1 wherein the closing means are snaps. 
     
     
       8. The apron of claim 1 wherein the closing means are hook and loop fastener pads.